Britain has fewer doctors for its population than any EU country bar Romania and Poland, the study shows, with just 2.8 per 1,000 people, well below the European average of 3.5.

Britain is also far behind other countries when it comes to provision of cancer scanning equipment, with the third lowest number of MRI scanners and the second lowest number of CT machines.

The UK has 6.1 MRI scanners per million population, compared to 30.5 in Germany and 15.4 across the EU. Only Hungary fares worse for provision of CT scanners.

One in three NHS leaders polled expect new NHS plans to include A&E closures

Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, said too many new mothers were being sent home too soon, for lack of postnatal beds.

The college has sounded warnings about “conveyor-belt” care leaving women without emotional support or time to recover.

'In the last few years we have seen an under-resourced system struggling to cope with demand and teetering on the edge of a precipice'Dr Taj Hassan, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine

Ms Silverton said: “When women go home should be based on clinical need taking account of the woman’s circumstances, not the needs of the organisation caring for them.

“I do also have concerns that women may be going home sooner than they want to because of the availability of postnatal beds for them.”

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association said thousands of patients were “bearing the brunt” of underfunding of health services, leaving many in “appalling” circumstances.

Dr Taj Hassan, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said the alarm on the state of NHS emergency care was now “flashing bright red”.

The NHS has been asked to draw up 44 plans to save money and help service cope with increasing pressures Credit:
PA

He said further cuts could put lives at risk.

“In the last few years we have seen an under-resourced system struggling to cope with demand and teetering on the edge of a precipice,” the A&E doctor said.

Dr Mark Porter, BMA council chairman, said the disclosures were "incredibly concerning."

“At a time when sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) are threatening further cuts on the frontline of the NHS, these figures should serve as a wake-up call to the government.

“Patients cannot afford to lose any more hospital beds," he said.

Joyce Robins, from Patient Concern, said: "It's incredible that cuts are threatened all the time when we have so few beds already and some hospitals can't throw patients out fast enough.

Health service leaders have been asked to draw up 44 sustainability and transformation plans, in order to help the NHS make £22bn in financial savings by 2020, and respond to rising demand.

Polling among health service leaders suggests around half intend hospital bed cuts, with one in five expecting to close consultant-led maternity services, and one third planning Accident & Emergency closures.

Health officials insist the policies will mean investment in community care services, and more care outside hospital.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "We are committed to the NHS and its values, which is why total health spending is above the OECD average as a percentage of GDP, and why we are investing £10 billion in the NHS's own plan for the future, including almost £4 billion this year.

"What's more, the NHS was ranked the best and most efficient healthcare system in the world by the independent Commonwealth Fund, showing that we make every bit of spending count”.